Charles Minor

On the way home from school, we usually give ride to a student named Charles Minor. Charles is a form 3 (grade 11) student at Seet Kobor Secondary School and has to walk three hours each way to get to school because closer schools were full to capacity. He told us that he sometimes has to fend off hyenas using rocks and sticks when the sun goes down.

Charles is a very bright student who seems to have an uncanny thirst for knowledge and a knack for languages. Everyday he has brought his notebook with specific words and phrases in French that he wants to know, and asks Leah and I to translate for him. He is picking it up surprisingly quickly.

Today Charles asked me what province Queen’s University was in. I mentioned that it was in Ontario, and that Ontario is right to the French speaking province Quebec. I was stunned when his response was:

“Didn’t Quebec want to succeed from Canada several years ago?”

I couldn’t believe that a form 3 student in rural Kenya would know about the political history of Canada. I am confident that with his unquenshable drive to learn, Charles will get into a university and will do great things in his life.

Kwaheri!

-Bryan